MLB

Can Theo be the answer for Cubs?

CHICAGO (AP)

Theomania struck Chicago's north side last October and
anticipation for what Theo Epstein might bring to the Cubs - maybe
a championship like he did with the Red Sox - is as strong as
ever.

Putting Epstein in charge as president of baseball operations,
bringing in a new general manager in Jed Hoyer and hiring Dale
Sveum as manager were just part of the Cubs' overhaul as they again
chase the World Series championship that has eluded them for 103
years and counting.

Epstein, who put together the team that ended Boston's
86-year-old drought in 2004 and won another ring in 2007, has made
this clear from the outset: the Cubs must strengthen the
organization from within, build up the farm system and depth and
look to the future while being competitive. And do things the same
way from the minor league level up.

Quick fixes are no longer an option, and it was evident when the
Cubs didn't become a major shopper in the free agent market.

''I think patience is important, but urgency is important as
well,'' Epstein said on the first day of spring training.

''The goal of the 2012 Cubs is to win the World Series. And our
goal as an organization is to build an organization that competes
on an annual basis in the postseason and gives ourselves a chance
to win the World Series.''

After bringing his former Boston colleague and Padres GM Hoyer
to town to be the GM, Epstein fired manager Mike Quade. He hired
Sveum, whose managerial experience at the major league level was
limited to a handful of games and a playoff series at the end of
the 2008 season with the Brewers, for whom he was hitting coach
last season.

The Cubs rid themselves of mercurial one-time ace Carlos
Zambrano and have added outfielder David DeJesus through free
agency, third baseman Ian Stewart in a trade with Rockies,
right-hander Chris Volstad in the deal with the Marlins for
Zambrano, left-hander Travis Wood in a trade with the Reds and a
prospect in first baseman Anthony Rizzo through a deal with the
Padres.

But Chicago lost its top run producers from last year's 71-91
team in third baseman Aramis Ramirez and first baseman Carlos Pena
and will be relying on 36-year-old Alfonso Soriano in left field
and career minor leaguer Bryan LaHair at first to provide some
punch. LaHair hit 38 homers in Triple-A last season.

The Cubs can build around young shortstop Starlin Castro, who
batted .307 and led the NL with 207 hits last season. But Castro
was the subject of a sexual assault investigation this offseason,
although no charges have been filed.

If there is one thing Epstein was determined to do early on, it
was build depth in the pitching rotation and he's done that. Matt
Garza, the subject of numerous trade rumors, got a one-year, $9.5
million deal to avoid arbitration and pitched better than his 10-10
record last season, his first with the Cubs.

Veteran Ryan Dempster and Paul Maholm, a free agent who went
6-14 with the Pirates last season, are in the rotation. The last
two spots will likely fall to Jeff Samardzija, who had a
breakthrough season in relief a year ago, Randy Wells or Volstad,
who was impressive early in the spring. They also have Rodrigo
Lopez, who went 6-6 last season after injuries hit the
rotation.

Closer Carlos Marmol blew 10 saves last season and Sveum and
pitching coach Chris Bosio have made it a point to straighten him
out this spring, especially his control with certain pitches. That
has been a point of emphasis as has defense after the Cubs made 134
errors last season.

Replacing Sean Marshall, the effective and durable lefty who was
dealt in the Reds trade, will be difficult. Travis Wood could end
up in the bullpen after struggling as a starter this spring. Kerry
Wood was re-signed.

Sveum has managed in the minors, briefly in the majors and has
been a bench coach, third base coach and hitting coach. As a
switch-hitting shortstop during his career, he played for an array
of managers and has been able to see the game from many different
angles.

After a recent conversation, Marmol complimented Sveum for his
ability to relate to his players.

And for Sveum, that's important in a clubhouse of various egos
and abilities. How much it will help the Cubs win remains to be
seen.

''Communication, obviously, is huge. It's just a matter of
treating these guys like human beings and understanding they're
human, no matter how much money they make,'' Sveum said recently at
spring training.

''Whether it's the top guy or the 25th guy on the roster,
they're all human beings and they're going to fail. There's so much
negativity in this game that you have to give everybody confidence.
It's just the way it is. These guys are major-league players and
they've had lots of success and sometimes they doubt that ability
they have.''

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